ZC 33

6 bedrooms, sleeps 10 (plus nannies or private staff)

Unabashed luxury and very grand style

This magnificent, majestic mansion in the hills has real charisma and exquisite, grandiose style. It is impossible not to be captivated by its sumptuous elegance and comfort ...

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"I have recently returned from a week’s break in Spain with my wife and two young sons. We booked a last minute holiday and were over-joyed to find that your property close to Ronda was available at short notice.
I just wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate you on a truly stunning house and accompanying gardens. Everything was immaculate and just as we expected following the introduction on the website stating that is was, “One of the most stunning and spectacular houses in all Spain”. From the moment we drove down the winding drive and entered the courtyard through the truly-impressive front gates, we were blown away with the quality and attention to detail throughout.
It was the first time we have been away with our two boys and it will be a holiday we will never forget. Our eldest son fell in love with the pool immediately, and by the end of the week we had a job getting our youngest son out of there too (all the more impressive as he is only 18-months old). My wife and I were able to make the most of the luxurious surroundings and seating areas once the boys were tucked up in bed, and the view to watch the sunset over the distant mountains is truly spectacular and a sight that we will never forget.
It is fair to say that we are unlikely to stay in such wonderful surroundings for a while to come, so I would like to thank you for allowing us the opportunity to experience such a magnificent place.
"

Rob (Jul 2017)

"Thank you for sharing your wonderful home with our family. Our time in Ronda and surroundings area was terrific."

Previous Guest (Jun 2015)

Bedrooms

Five main bedrooms (all double bedded). Accommodation for nannies or other staff (a twin bedroom) is also available.

Pool

Private swimming pool

16 m x 6 m, 1.2 - 2.2 m deep.

Location

In open countryside, 12 km from Ronda in the Ronda Mountains region (Province of Málaga).

Price

Palatial

One of the most stunning and spectacular houses in all Spain, it is a reflection of its American owners' exemplary good taste and very grand, lavish style.

This magnificent mansion in the hills has real charisma and exquisite, grandiose style. It is impossible not to be captivated by its sumptuous elegance and comfort.

One of the most stunning and spectacular houses in all Spain, it is located in a totally private valley surrounded by the richly forested hillsides of its 70 acre countryside estate. It's a glorious and utterly peaceful setting befitting of such a majestic, palatial property.

12 kilometres north of Ronda, here there is nothing - and nobody - to intrude on your peaceful revelry. There are no other houses, anywhere.

Just sublime countryside and joyous, uninterrupted views down the long valley and then up to to the ruins of Acinipo (the remains of a Roman city created more than 2,000 years ago), the distant peaks of the Serranía de Ronda mountain range crossing the far horizon.

Sublime countryside

Here there is nothing - and nobody - to intrude on your peaceful revelry, just sublime countryside and joyous, uninterrupted views.

From the little road which winds up into the hills en route to the pretty white village of Setenil, a long (4 kilometres), but wide and decently maintained farmers track takes one ever deeper into this gloriously tranquil part of Andalucía.

It is a completely rural landscape, mile upon mile of mature cork oak forest opening up here and there to olive groves and small farms.

Even when you are inside the estate gates, you still have no clue as to what lies over the brow of the hill, there is seemingly nothing but leafy greenery and gorgeous nature to behold.

And then … there it is, the trees open up to reveal this resplendent and absolutely enormous villa basking in the sunshine on the terraces below.

Unabashed luxury

It exudes quality and character, an intoxicating blend of antique riches and modern convenience.

It's a fabulous spot, a long valley sloping down immediately below the villa offering tremendous views, a craggy rock face rising up dramatically and almost vertically to one side, richly wooded hillsides gliding across the horizon on the other side of the valley.

Designed and built to the exacting specifications of its American owners some 15 years ago, it is a complete reflection of their exemplary good taste and very grand, lavish style.

It exudes quality and character, a classically beautiful home exquisite in every detail and comfort. Unabashed luxury from top to bottom, inside and out, an intoxicating blend of antique riches and modern convenience.

And it's huge too, almost 700 m2 of built space which is constantly being improved on; all rental incomes are re-invested in the house to maintain and enhance its immaculate, luxurious style.

A glorious, hidden world

Resplendent under its weathered, terracotta roof tiles, the villa extends around the front courtyard on three sides behind impressively arched colonnades.

The villa, resplendent under its weathered, terracotta roof tiles, extends around this courtyard on three sides behind impressively arched colonnades.

A very wide, beautifully furnished hallway runs the entire length of the central wing of the house, the principal living rooms leading off behind.

This is no ordinary hallway … huge terracotta lions stand guard either side of the main entrance doorways; luxurious marble floor tiles, a massive open fireplace and stunning renaissance paintings are just some of its superbly elegant and outstanding features.

In fact the whole house is a mélange of wonderful antiques, fabulous paintings and classically beautiful furnishings, the private 18th and 19th Century collection of its owners, one of whom is among the most respected art dealers in the world.

It's a collection which reflects both his superb eye and his extensive travels with items from all corners of the globe.

At the far end of the hallway, the kitchen leads off, the first room in one of the side wings of the house. It's huge, like all the rooms here, and impressively equipped with top quality appliances, stainless steel cupboards and marble work surfaces.

It has everything - American style fridge / freezer with an ice dispenser for drinks, an enormous five-ring hob, double ovens, a microwave - even an open fire to cook on too - dishwasher, espresso coffee machine et al. A professional chef's dream kitchen, there's lots of creative space and plenty of room for a big breakfast table.

Something for the young ones too

There is a virtually indestructable childrens play area so parents can relax.

There is direct access to the front courtyard and also access to the gardens and barbecue area to the side of the house. Behind is a laundry room with its huge, commercial-purpose washing machine and dryer.

The room beyond the kitchen in this side wing of the house has been converted into a play area for children with a TV, sofa and a table for eating, drawing or whatever.

It is all perfectly presentable but deliberately created to be indestructible so that children or teenagers can enjoy themselves here without worrying (their parents) about fine, irreplaceable antique furnishings being damaged.

There is also a 6th bedroom (twin bedded with en-suite bathroom and a small service kitchen) alongside, ideal for the children's nanny perhaps, or for grandparents or anyone else wishing for a bit more independence.

The sunny world outside

The view, across the gently rolling hillsides of the estate's mature woodlands to the ancient Roman settlement in the far distance, is a joy.

Returning to the main wing, on the opposite side of the hallway from the kitchen is the hugely elegant, almost regal, dining room with an immaculate, 19th Century English mahogany dining table and chairs at its centre.

The palest of light blue walls with faded rose colored silk curtains and a superb array of detail such as the ornate candelabra overhead and the 18th Century fireplace alongside, original paintings and antique furnishings. The marble floor tiles reflect the same lovely blue/grey and white theme.

On three sides of the room, french windows open to the sunny world outside and soft light pours in, enhancing its calm, welcoming ambience. The view, across the gently rolling hillsides of the estate's mature woodlands to the ancient Roman settlement in the far distance, is a joy.

Beautifully appointed

The house is a mélange of wonderful antiques, fabulous paintings and classically beautiful furnishings.

To one side it opens to a wide and well maintained lawn surrounded by a pretty and genuinely English herbaceous border, a lovely, shaded outdoor pergola and barbecue area for al fresco dining alongside.

Other doors open to the vast, wide sun terrace which runs the entire length of this wing of the house and leads on, in turn, to other garden areas and the pool on lower terraces.

The next room along the hallway is the "small" sitting room (although it's bigger than most people's main lounge), a more modern, beautifully appointed and very relaxing room.

Delightfully furnished and very stylish, it's a lovely room to take a few moments off from the rest of the world, to settle down with a good book perhaps. Doors open to the sun terrace outside and to the views down the valley.

It also doubles up as the TV lounge; a massive, 52" flat screen TV, DVD player and stereo system are hidden away very discretely in a concealed cupboard.

Marvellous charm

The main living room is one of the biggest rooms imaginable; its seemingly acres of space are home to furnishings of fabulous quality.

The main living room comes next, one of the biggest rooms imaginable!

Two blue, 4 seater sofas are drawn up alongside a huge open fireplace; the seemingly acres of space on either side are home to superb furnishings which include an 18th Century German armoire, antique French painted columns, a pair of very comfortable recamiers; the perfect place to read. A collection of Chinese porcelain and countless other fine and really exquisite pieces complete the setting. The hand-woven Indian carpet was especially commissioned from Jaipur and took eight months to make.

Light pours in from french windows which run right along the length of the room as well as to the side, enhancing its marvellous charm and fabulous quality.

Further along, beyond a guest cloakroom, the hallway extends around to form an impressive library corner with hundreds of bound volumes lining the walls from floor to ceiling.

For a little musical accompaniment there's a CD player here and a computer too (there's WiFi throughout the house).

At the far end of the hallway is the very classy and beautifully furnished master bedroom suite with its own sitting area, king-sized bed and wonderful views from French windows which run along two sides of the room.

Very classy

The master bedroom has its own sitting area, king-sized bed and wonderful views. Impressive as it is, even more so is its huge marble bathroom suite.

Impressive as it is, even more so is its huge en-suite marble bathroom suite, the gorgeous, greeny-grey ribboned tiles beautifully offset by a marble bathtub, white marble washstand and fluffy white towels.

A huge picture window looks out to a very private and very green little garden scene, bamboos and ivy competing with tropical plants. The walk-in shower room (with power shower) is big enough to fit half a rugby team in!

The other four bedrooms are in the third wing of the house, one accessed from the library, the other three from the front courtyard. All are individually styled and furnished but all share the same immaculate quality (and size) as the other rooms in the house.

Three have queen-sized double beds, one has a more standard sized, four poster double bed. They all have spacious, attractive en-suite bathrooms, two of them with walk-in shower rooms, two with bath tubs and showers.

They all look out through French windows to the extensive formal gardens and terraces on this side of the villa.

Formal gardens

The lawn and dining pergola on one side and the formal gardens on the other are connected by a vast sun terrace. It's reminiscent of the Palace of Versailles!

There is central heating throughout, with the exception of the three bedrooms which are accessed from the front courtyard which all have electric radiators as well as open fireplaces.

There's no air conditioning but it really isn't necessary: massively high ceilings and excellent insulation keep the property beautifully cool even on the hottest of summer days.

The lawn and dining pergola on one side of the house and the formal gardens on the other side are connected by a vast, furnished sun terrace which runs all along the back of the property.

Stately stairways descend to the next terrace down which has been laid out as another formal garden area, fish ponds running down its centre, tranquil sitting areas, a herb garden at one end.

Big and beautiful

This is separated from the pool area by high poplar hedges and a few more steps. The pool, of course, is big and beautiful with intricate mosaic tiling.

At one end there is now a lovely pergola / chill-out area with high-end lounging furniture, night lighting and a bar with four stools, a small fridge and an iPod dock.

16 m x 6 m, the deepest part of the swimming pool is in the centre (2.2 m deep) with shallower levels at each end where there are entry steps into the pool. There's an expansive, wrap-around sun terrace and lots of good quality sun beds.

A wonderfully sunny spot, views are far and wide across the joyous countryside, birds sing happily in the branches of the magnificent, gnarled old olive trees.

Truly magnificent

A magnificent home which offers exclusive and unabashed luxury, comfort, quality and style; enhanced, of course, by the beauty of its countryside estate.

In such a fantastic property there is always a little more! From the lawned area to the side of the house, two poplar trees stand guard to a wide part of the hillside estate which has been cultivated and is now an immaculately maintained, 2½ acre vineyard.

You are also welcome to help yourselves to the estate's olives. They have more than two acres of them so there's plenty to go around.

On one of the hillsides above the house, the owners have created a little "secret" Mediterranean garden in a hidden clearing in the trees. Just another delightful spot for you to discover as you explore this wonderful estate. A little further afield, one of many lovely walks from the estate is up to the Acinipo ruins.

Nearby Ronda is a lovely town, Hemingway's favourite in all Spain. Brimming with history and interest, a visit to its famous bridge and bullring is a must.

The Grazalema National Park, one of Spain's most spectacular regions, is only a short drive away. Here you will find some of the most beautiful of the famous "white villages". Elsewhere, Arcos de la Frontera, Setenil and Gaucín are all well worth a visit.

A little over an hour's drive through the mountains of the Serranía de Ronda will take you to Marbella and the beaches of the Costa del Sol. In the opposite direction, Seville is just 1½ hours away.

There's lots to do from here, this truly magnificent home which offers exclusive and unabashed luxury, comfort, quality and style; enhanced, of course, by the beauty of its countryside estate.

Villa Details

The Villa in Detail

All the facts and features about this villa

Distribution

The Villa : all on one floor

Andaluz entrance courtyard

Main hallway

Kitchen

Laundry Room

Children's Play Room

Staff accommodation alongside (twin bedroom, en-suite bathroom and small kitchen area). This could also be used by grandparents or other guests if required although, whilst presentable, its not of quite the same immaculate standard as the other bedroom suites

(2) double with queen-sized bed, sitting area with open fireplace and en-suite shower room (power shower)

(3) double with queen-sized bed, sitting area with open fireplace and en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub). Access is from the Andaluz courtyard

(4) double with standard-sized 4 poster bed, sitting area with open fireplace and en-suite shower room (power shower). Access is from the Andaluz courtyard

(5) double with queen-sized bed, sitting area with open fireplace and en-suite bathroom (bath tub and walk-in shower room with power shower). Access is from the Andaluz courtyard

Gardens and Grounds

Formal gardens and terraces

English, lawned garden

Furnished pergola and barbecue area

Sun terraces

Pool terrace with pergola / bar area

Estate grounds which include a vineyard, olive grove and a hidden, Mediterranean garden

Facilities

Entertainment

52" flat screen satellite TV (UK Channel Information)This property has a Freeview box but due to changes to the UK satellite services currently does not receive UK terrestrial programmes, BBC, ITV etc. We will provide updates if this situation changes.

DVD

CD

Stereo system

iPod dock in the pool bar

Library

Small collection of DVD's and CD's

Computer

WiFi Internet is available in the house as well as the garden and pool area (bring your own laptop)

Amenities

Open fireplaces in the main hall, in both living rooms, dining room and in four of the bedrooms

Central Heating throughout the main house (but not in the three bedrooms accessed from the courtyard; there are electric radiators in these)

ZC 33

2019 Season Dates

Week

Fortnight

Prices Pending

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Notes

Prices include maid service, Mondays to Fridays and a welcome pack.

Security Deposit

A 500 Euro security deposit is required on each booking. This is held against your credit or debit card and will be cancelled one week after your holiday, subject to any reductions for breakages or damage. See Terms and Conditions for full details.

Nearest Airports

See our Links Page for web sites of airlines traveling to Andalucia from the UK.

Around and About

This is an excellent base from which to explore this delightful and very beautiful part of Andalucía.

Excursions

For trips out, you are spoilt for choice. Hemingway's favourite town in all Spain, Ronda, with its extraordinary gorge dividing the old and new quarters, is just 15 minutes away. With its mansion houses, quaint narrow streets, museums and art galleries and Spain's oldest bullring, it is well worth visiting.

La Costa del Sol with its wealth of sandy beaches, sun, fun and nightlife is an hour further south from Ronda. It's a very spectacular trip, too, crossing up and over the Sierra de las Nieves before descending to glitzy, glamorous Marbella and a very different world!

Here you are on the doorstep of the Grazalema National Park, one of the most beautiful tracks of mountain anywhere in Europe. Jagged peaks, gorges, chasms, faults and caves, underground rivers and deep canyons are interspersed, here and there, by some of the prettiest villages in Spain - Grazalema, Zahara, Setenil and the other famous "pueblos blancos".

On the wide, blue waters of the Embalse de Zahara (it's a reservoir but you would never know), you can swim or just enjoy the beautiful views all around from one of the little bars which open up in summer on the lake shore.

Take the dramatic little mountain road from Zahara which climbs high into the mountains and on to Grazalema. From here you can head west, crossing right over the magnificent sierras, thickly forested with cork oak and Spanish fir, to Arcos de la Frontera on the other side.

For something completely different, Sevilla takes less than 2 hours. It is impossible not to be captivated by its exuberant atmosphere: stylish, confident, ancient and proud, yet also convivial, intimate and fun-loving. If you don't know what alegría means, Sevilla is the place to learn!

Spain's unique sherry wine region (Jerez and Sanlúcar), is well worth a visit, enhanced no doubt by stopping at one or two of the famous bodegas along the way! Jerez de la Frontera is 2 hours.

Cádiz (2¼ hours) continues to evoke the romance, intrigue and mystery of centuries of trade (some legal, some not so) between Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Activities

There are few better places in Europe than the Sierra de Grazalema to enjoy walking and hiking. We recommend "Walking in Andalucía" by Guy Hunter-Watts which includes six fabulous walks in the nearby countryside. The wonderful mountain terrain is equally facinating for twitchers, especially for spotting the big raptors. There are various guide companies in Ronda offering everything from one day caving adventures to hiking and bicycling trips.

The adventurous may want to try their hand at hang gliding or paragliding from Sierra de Lijar, just up the road at Algodonales. The village recently staged the World Paragliding Championships and is home to a number of paragliding schools with courses for beginners as well as tandem flights.

Horse trekking can be arranged at local stables.

Bicycle hire is easily arranged in Ronda. There are excellent cycle ways in the area including the Via Verde which runs along an abandoned railway line as well as far more challenging tracks for mountain biking.

Different water sports are on offer on the Zahara lake. Swimming is also possible at a number of secluded coves along the lakeside.

There is no more thrilling way of viewing the Ronda mountains than from a balloon. End your once-in-a-lifetime flight with a champagne breakfast overlooking Ronda’s old town.

The Area

Ronda Mountains

The wild and wonderful mountains which surround Ronda are spectacularly beautiful, a taste of much-touted 'Real Spain' … Read more

Ronda

One of Andalucía's loveliest towns, steeped in history. With its extraordinary gorge and Spain's oldest bullring, well worth visiting … Read more